Does technology really solves the problem?
Most of the technologies don’t solve the problem. Technologies make life more comfortable. Absence of existing technologies creates problems.
I am a programmer!
I was thinking/validating a product idea. The most basic need for a product is said to be “Problem, it solves”. Let’s see what a problem is.
According to Wikipedia:
“A problem is an obstacle which hinders the achievement of a particular goal, objective or purpose. “
The main goal of any technology/product is said to be Happy living.
So when people actually worry about a particular aspect or abstract which they wish they didn’t have, is a problem.
The technologies have been giving innovative products which people have never imagined before. These products do certain things which make things easy or even doing certain things possible.
So people did not imagine the products they got, implies that the job these products do was never a problem.
Let’s get to the point. Let’s talk about a real-world example
Whatsapp:
There was always a workaround to talk to people over the internet. Facebook, email, etc. To immediately send a short message to his/her phone could be done with SMS. People never really wish they wanted something like WhatsApp to exist. Nor they were unsatisfied with the workaround.
WhatsApp made things so much easier and convenient that people enjoyed it. Now the absence of whats app is really a problem.
Amazon:
There was always a way to get whatever you wanted. Amazon made thing much easier. Having used online shopping for years, now it really seems like a problem not having an online delivery service.
I can go on providing examples. I hope I have conveyed my thoughts well.
Sometimes I think most of the technologies is driven by the business which can be created rather than the actual problems.
I do accept there are revolutionary technologies which have saved many people lives. Even making certain things easier have created new opportunities and living.
My conclusion thoughts
Innovation in technologies is always awesome. It enables people to do a lot more than they can before. Hence create immense opportunities. But most of them don’t solve any problem, as the problem’s definition was discussed above.
Author: Prashanth C – Software Developer at lastbit
